The internet is an increasingly international network of computers that supports various forms and levels of communication. For instance, on the world wide web (WWW), information can be presented on universally available pages commonly known as websites. The internet also supports one-on-one communication between end-users via electronic email and/or internet bulletin board services. The common denominator in every form of communication over the internet, however, is the use of domain names to identify the computer to be contacted. The domain name, which is referred to as an internet protocol (IP) number, is actually a unique combination of numbers separated by decimal points.
Because IP numbers can be cumbersome and difficult for internet users to remember or use, the IP numbering system has been overlaid with the more user-friendly domain name system. This system allows internet addresses to be assigned an alphanumeric designation or domain name, which directly correlates to the assigned IP number. Special computers known as domain name servers maintain tables linking domain names to their respective IP numbers.
The anatomy of a domain name consists of more than two parts, called domain levels, separated by a period (referred to as a dot). The Top-Level-Domain level (TLD), which is referred to by its internet zone designation, “.com,” or “.gov.,” “.uk,”, etc., is found to the right of the dot. TLDs which represent a specific country are referred to as Country-Code TLDs, or ccTLDs. The Second-Level-Domain (SLD) or Third Level Domain, which is commonly referred to as the domain name, consists of characters (including letters, numbers, and hyphens) located immediately to the left of the dot.
For the domain name address system to operate properly, each domain name within a particular TLD must be unique, even if it differs from another domain name by only one character. In order to prevent duplicate “domain names” from being assigned, a single entity, commonly referred to as a registry, is ultimately responsible for maintaining a complete database of all of the domain names in each particular TLD. This database is referred to as a registry database. In the majority of generic (e.g., .com, .net, .org) domain name registrations, there is little or no human intervention in the registration process. The registry database maintained by the registry electronically records the assigned relationship between the more easily remembered domain name and its corresponding IP number (received from an international entity tasked with assigning all IP numbers) and reports this information to the TLD registry for recordation in the master database of all domain names. The registrar also enters into a registration agreement (contract) with each registrant, and records and maintains vital registrant contact and billing information.
Due to the vital role domain names play in internet communication, the easy, immediate, secure, and dependable registration and maintenance of domain names is necessary to the continued rapid growth of the internet. Thus, there is a need in the art for improved methods and systems related to auditing and validation of transactions associated with registry databases.